It's amazing how a positive perspective can completely change a persons character and personality for the best, which then is the beginning of changing relationships and situations for the best. It's exciting!

I'm so grateful to live on the top of a mountain. I can see for miles out my windows. Smaller mountains, rolling hills , lakes, forest glades valleys and more hills. It's spectacular. I once dreamed I had a choice of living in a castle, very tempting indeed, or my mountaintop home. In my dream, I chose here. Because my husband's heart is here, mine is too. My children are growing up here, and so are my grandchildren. Love and life seem to be growing all around us here on the other side of my view.

The interesting thing is when I look out at my view, there's a huge Oak tree which obscures part of the horizon. One of my sons wanted us to cut it down; open up the view he said.

But for me , that beautiful stately Oak tree IS part of the view. Looking at the landscape that seems to go on forever, it's easy to look to the future and big dreams. It's easy to imagine away any obstacles, any amount of understanding or hard work that could slow down the journey to future goals. It's easy to dream fast and big looking at endlessness.But looking at the Oak tree, especially when I get up close to it, makes me dream in a different way. It reminds me of the perseverance, knowledge and wisdom that is to be learned from our elders, and those before them. It reminds me that sometimes it takes years to reach goals and that slow steady growth can reach gracefully toward strength and endurance. Like a friend looking with me at the view ahead is that tree, firmly planted on this earth, intentional about growing and reaching toward heaven.

Whether you have a wide open view this day, or a seemingly muddled one, I'm hoping you'll see there's beautiful life poems to be read by your heart, no matter your circumstances. I'm praying that you'll know the priceless value of nurturing a grateful heart.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I will give thanks to you Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonderful deeds!